MORE than 15,000 crimes across Leicestershire including serious assault offences haven’t gone to court but have been dealt with through restorative justice, police have revealed today.

But the amount of total restorative justice recorded has dropped by over half from 3269 when it began in the county in 2008/09 to 1556 in 2012/13 with more cases now being sent back to the courts.

In five years a total of 15076 crimes were dealt with through the initiative including community resolution where the offender is brought face to face with their victim instead of going to court and receiving a criminal record.

Sir Clive Loader, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire Police, today explained the figures saying some crimes which had been receiving restorative justice such as grievous bodily harm and domestic violence were now heading back to court.

In 2009/10 the number of total restorative incidents rose to a peak at 3900 before being reduced to 3465 in 2010/11. And then during the last two years the figures have fallen even more dramatically to 2886 in 2011/12 to 1556 and its lowest in 2012/13.

Sir Clive said: “It has been a learning curve and in the early days of restorative justice police officers were at times putting some more serious cases such as GBH and violence in the home into the restorative justice category. Over the years the figures have dropped as it was deemed that some of the cases weren’t appropriate for restorative justice and have been sent to court instead.”

Sir Clive said he was a big fan of the restorative justice scheme which he says has been a huge success in Leicestershire.

He said: “Feedback from victims has shown that the vast majority of people endorse restorative justice. In many cases victims want to get the matter dealt with quickly and don’t want to be dragged through the courts. Restorative justice allows the process to happen quickly. Obviously in some cases it is inappropriate due to the seriousness of the crimes and court is the only option. But when it is used properly it is very effective.”

Restorative justice is supposed to be used as an alternative to prosecution for low-level criminal damage, low-value thefts, minor assaults without injury or anti-social behaviour.

Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines say they should only be used for less serious offences where the offender accepts responsibility, the victim has been consulted and the offender has no relevant past offending history.

Offences dealt with in this way do not carry a criminal record or lead to an entry on the police national computer.

But on a national scale it has been revealed that as many as one in eight violent offences including knife crimes and domestic violence were being dealth with through the restorative justice system.

Sometimes, victims and offenders communicate indirectly through a mediator who passes on written or verbal information.

Other times, victims and offenders meet face to face. This only happens if the victim wants it and after very careful preparation by trained mediators, who are present at the meeting.

Some restorative justice schemes also include the offender doing something productive to make amends, such as repairing damage to the victim’s property.